damage. The danger of a recurrence of this trouble, however, has been obviated by inserting a trap valve in the line from the absorption tower to the point of application. The assistant engineer was informed that some complaints were received regarding tastes and odor in the water when the liquid chlorine was first applied, but that they had since subsided.

Samples of the water were collected at the time of the inspection and sent to the Division of Laboratories and Research for analysis, the results of which together with those of previous analyses are recorded in the appended table.

The results of these analyses show clearly the grossly polluted condition of the raw water. The bacterial results of analyses of the filtered water prior to 1911, during which time no sterilization was being used as an adjunct to filtration, indicate that ineffective purification was then being obtained. During this period colon bacilli were frequently present in the 10 c.c. and 1 c.c. inoculations and occasionally in the 1/10 c.c. inoculations, thus indicating the presence of active contamination. Since 1911, however, or since the application of hypochlorite to the water for sterilization, better results have been obtained. The bacterial counts in the treated water have been low and colon bacilli at all times absent in the samples collected.

The results of analyses of the samples collected at the time of the inspection indicate very efficient purification. The raw water contained 13,000 bacteria per c.c. with the B. coli type present in dilutions as small as 1/100 c.c., while the influent to the filters which had passed through the coagulation basin and been treated with liquid chlorine contained only 40 bacteria per c.c., with colon bacilli absent in all dilutions. These results show clearly the effectiveness of liquid chlorine as a disinfecting agent.

The effect of the sanitary quality of the water supply upon the typhoid fever death rate of the city is well shown by the following statistics: From 1898 to 1901, when raw Hudson river water was used, the average annual typhoid fever death rate was 102.6 per 100,000 population; from 1902 to 1910, when filtration was the only method of purification used, 46.1; and from 1911 to 1916, when in addition to filtration, hypochlorite of lime was used as a disinfecting agent, 7.6. These statistics show clearly the necessity of adequate purification of the water in order to properly protect the health and lives of the inhabitants of the city.

That sterilization is essential to produce satisfactory results is indicated by the fact that filtration alone reduced the typhoid fever death rate to 46.1 only, while the addition of sterilization reduced it to 7.6. Experience has shown that liquid chlorine is fully as efficient a disinfectant, if not more so, as hypochlorite of lime, which was formerly used. Furthermore, with modern apparatus the liquid chlorine is more easily handled and controlled. Chlorine is now being applied to both the unfiltered and filtered water, thus giving an additional safeguard; since hypochlorite was applied to only the filtered water.

In view of the above, it seems probable that with careful operation of the purification plant, water of a satisfactory quality should be delivered into the distribution system. It should be pointed out, however, that there is some danger of local contamination of the water in the mains through cross connections between the city supply and polluted auxiliary fire supplies of some 5 or 6 factories in the city. Contamination of water supplies in this manner has occurred in several other cities, and in fact epidemics of typhoid fever have been traceable to such contamination in some cases.

I would, therefore, recommend:

1. That the water company continue their careful supervision and operation of the purification plant.

2. That at the earliest practicable time a complete severance be made and maintained between the mains of the public water supply and the mains of all auxiliary fire supplies of unsafe sanitary quality.

3. That until recommendation No. 2 is carried out all connections and appurtenances between the public water supply mains and the auxiliary fire supplies be carefully inspected and tested at regular and frequent intervals in order that the danger of contamination of the public water supply from the auxiliary supplies may be reduced to a minimum.

Finally, I would recommend that copies of this report be sent to the local health officer, the sanitary supervisor of the district and to the water

company.

Respectfully submitted,

THEODORE HORTON,
Chief Engineer

ALBANY, N. Y., May 10, 1917

RESULTS OF WATER ANALYSES

PHYSICAL

CHEMICAL (PARTS PER MILLION)

BACTERIOLOGICAL

BEFORE STERILIZATION

Rensselaer

Rensselaer..

Treated water.

+1+1

1+1+1+1+1+1+

RENSSELAER (Mill of F. C. Huyck & Sons)

HERMANN M. BIGGS, M.D., State Commissioner of Health:

I beg to submit the following report upon an inspection of the water supply system at the mill of F. C. Huyck & Sons, Rensselaer, made on March 21, 1917, by Mr. E. S. Chase, assistant engineer, in company with Dr. C. C. Duryee, sanitary supervisor, in connection with an investigation of the occurrence of several cases of typhoid fever among employees of this mill.

The mill is located in the western part of the city of Rensselaer, near the Hudson river and not far from the Greenbush bridge from Albany. This mill is engaged in the manufacture of paper maker's felt and employs approximately 425 hands about equally divided with respect to sex.

The water supply of the mill for general industrial purposes and for the toilets and lavoratories is derived from the Hudson river. A 16-inch pipe runs from the river to a pump well from which the water is pumped through two pressure mechanical filters, which provide no adequate purification as shown by analyses, and then through two units of Permutit Softeners, thence to a 50,000-gallon elevated tank from which it is distributed through the buildings to the toilets, lavoratories and washing machines. The fire sprinkler system is connected to the city mains and is also cross connected with the industrial water system. In case of fire the industrial supply can be pumped into the sprinkling system. There are three connections between the city mains and the mill fire service, each connection being provided with a single check valve and gate valve. The city pressure is about 125 pounds per square inch and the fire pump from the industrial supply is provided with a blow-off valve so set as to prevent pressure greater than 90 pounds being obtained from this source.

The drinking water supply is obtained from a drilled well located in the eastern part of the factory. This well is about 200 feet deep, drilled through shale and is provided with a 6 or 8-inch casing inside of which is a 4-inch pipe through which a deep well pump operates, the plunger being located at the bottom of the well. Water from this well is piped throughout the mill for drinking purposes only and numerous and convenient drinking fountains are provided at various points. The well water although usually showing low bacterial counts, is impregnated with hydrogen sulphide and is accordingly somewhat unpalatable. The samples of this water collected at the time of the inspection were comparatively high in bacteria and organisms of the B. coli type were moderately prevalent.

As a result of the somewhat unpleasant taste and odor, it is stated, some of the employees do not drink from this well supply but use or have used water from the industrial supply. It is further stated that all of the recent cases of typhoid are known to have used the industrial water for drinking purposes. In view of the seriously contaminated and unsafe condition of the industrial supply it is evident that the typhoid infection was received from the drinking of this water. It does not seem necessary, therefore, in this report to enter into a detailed discussion of the epidemiological features of this outbreak, the evidence being so clear as to the causation of the disease. The location of the deep well, however, is somewhat unsatisfactory with reference to possibility of pollution of the tributary ground water by leakage from street or mill sewers. Its freedom from contamination depends upon factors of indeterminate effectiveness, such as the purifying effect of the soil, the tightness of the well casing, the adequacy of the protection of the well from surface water leaking down along the outside of the casing and the imperviousness of the strata separating the deep seated and presumably safe water from the undoubtedly contaminated subsurface water. The possibility of securing safe and satisfactory water from other wells sunk in this vicinity is, therefore, somewhat problematical.

The public water supply of the city of Rensselaer is derived from the Hudson river and is sterilized with liquid chlorine, filtered through gravity

mechanical filters and again sterilized with liquid chlorine. A series of analyses of this supply, covering several years, made by the Department indicate satisfactory purification and such results should be obtained so long as the purification plant is operated carefully and effectively. Some objections are made to drinking the city water on account of occasional taste and odors due to the chlorine used in the purification process. The amount of chlorine used is so minute as to be of no detriment to health. The city supply is the most satisfactory of those available at this mill.

In view of the above conclusions, I would make the following recommendations, to be acted upon by F. C. Huyck & Sons:

1. That steps be taken as soon as possible to render the industrial supply absolutely unavailable for drinking by abandoning its use for lavatory fixtures and for other purposes and at other points where it would be available for drinking water.

2. That the city water be substituted for the industrial supply as a source of water for the lavatory system.

3. That the city authorities of Rensselaer require complete physical severance from the city mains of all auxiliary fire systems on the supplies from polluted sources.

4. That in view of the somewhat unsatisfactory location of the deep well the company continue to have regular analyses made of this supply but in case active contamination be found at any time steps be taken to discover and eliminate the source of such contamination or if such contamination cannot be eliminated abandon the well and obtain the drinking water supply from the public supply.

5. That, in addition to recommendation No. 1, at those points where the industrial water is used in the manufacturing processes suitable signs be maintained, as at present, prohibiting its use for drinking purposes, and, if necessary, other measures be taken to enforce the prohibition.

ALBANY, N. Y., April 3, 1917

Respectfully submitted,

THEODORE HORTON,
Chief Engineer